Chapter 87: My Standards May Be a Little High

“Don’t be stupid. How could killing someone not be against the law? Come on, we have to go. There’s no surveillance here, so no one should be able to discover the two of us.”

Ling Xiao could not help shaking his head. He was rather speechless with this Lin Yixuan.

Still, the girl’s heart was not bad.

When faced with evil men, she had bravely stepped forward and told him to leave.

And after something happened, her first instinct had been to drag him away and run.

All things considered... she counted as a good person.

Only after they had run across several streets did Lin Yixuan finally let go. Bending over with her hands braced on her knees, she gulped down breath in great heaving gasps.

“My God, that was thrilling! This is the first time in my life I’ve ever run into something like that.”

Ling Xiao said lightly,

“This matter has nothing to do with you. There was no need for you to get involved.”

“That won’t do! Since I saw it, there’s no way I can stay out of it now. We’re grasshoppers tied to the same string at this point.”

“As you please. But that still doesn’t mean I’ll treat your illness.”

Lin Yixuan’s pretty brows drew together, then she composed herself and said seriously,

“You’re overthinking it. I do hope you’ll help me, but I’m not going to cling to you shamelessly like that. Come on, it’s noon already. Let me treat you to lunch. I’d like to talk to you again and hope you might change your mind.”

After a brief moment of thought, Ling Xiao nodded.

“Very well. I’ve nothing to do anyway, so I’ll give you a chance.”

Lin Yixuan smiled sweetly. Unfortunately, her sunglasses and mask hid it, and Ling Xiao could not see that breathtaking sight.

The two found a high-end Western restaurant nearby. When Lin Yixuan stepped up to the front desk, the server immediately frowned and stared at her.

“Y-you... You’re not Lin Yixuan, are you?”

Lin Yixuan gave a soft cough.

“It’s me.”

Those two plain words instantly sent the other woman into excitement.

“Oh my God! It really is you! I... I’m your fan! I like you so much!”

“Thank you. But I’m here to eat with my friend today, so I hope you won’t make a fuss.”

“Of course, of course. I’ll arrange a private booth for you upstairs on the second floor. Just draw the curtain and no one will see you. But... could I ask you for an autographed photo later?”

“Certainly.”

“Thank you so much! Here is your table card. Please head upstairs. I’ll cover for you!”

“All right.”

Holding the table card, Lin Yixuan waved it triumphantly at Ling Xiao, as if to say:

See? I’m still quite impressive, aren’t I? Even here I have fans.

Naturally, Ling Xiao said nothing to her proud display and merely shrugged.

A high-end restaurant like this was bound to belong to one of River Province’s wealthy magnates.

With a single word from Ling Xiao, let alone an employee, even the entire restaurant could become his.

Compared to that, Lin Yixuan’s celebrity aura was hardly worth mentioning.

In this world, strength was what ultimately mattered.

The two went upstairs. Lin Yixuan pulled the curtain closed, then removed her sunglasses and mask and let out a long breath.

“At last, I’m free. Even if it’s only within such a tiny little space.”

After a pause, she smiled softly at Ling Xiao.

“With such remarkable medical skills, you must have earned quite a lot of money, so you’ve probably eaten here before, haven’t you?”

Ling Xiao shook his head.

“I have not.”

“Then let’s hope the food here isn’t too disappointing.”

Once she had said that, she took another deep breath, and her expression turned somewhat grave.

“Sir, I truly need your help.”

“There are many people who need help. You are only one of them.”

Lin Yixuan frowned.

“Sir, I have no other choice! Someone drugged my throat. Now I can’t sing high notes at all. For my career, that is a devastating blow! If I can’t sing, I would rather die!”

Ling Xiao cast her an indifferent glance.

“Everyone who comes to me comes because it concerns life and death. But I, Ling Xiao, am not running a charity.”

“Fine, then name your price. If you’re willing, I can pay you whatever amount you want.”

“Money... does not interest me.”

“Then what does?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps if you happen to offer the right thing, I’ll be pleased, and curing you would be no more than a casual gesture. But if I dislike it, even if you put up ten billion, I would not bother to look at you.”

Lin Yixuan clenched her teeth. Her large eyes fixed on Ling Xiao, as if trying to search his body for some flaw, some weakness.

A moment later, it seemed she had made some momentous decision.

She drew another deep breath, looked at Ling Xiao with utmost seriousness, and said,

“Sir, if you are willing, I can be your girlfriend. As long as you cure my throat.”

After saying that, she looked at Ling Xiao with a face full of confidence.

She had more than enough faith in herself.

A face of peerless beauty, a blazing young diva of the music world.

A woman like her never had to worry about lacking men.

It would not be the slightest exaggeration to say that the men who wanted to pursue her could line up from here all the way to Yanjing.

So Lin Yixuan had every reason to believe that even if Ling Xiao rejected money, he would never reject her.

But sadly, Ling Xiao’s expression remained cold as ever.

“Not interested.”

Those three simple words were no less than a basin of icy water flung viciously across Lin Yixuan’s face.

She, Lin Yixuan, had more suitors than she could count. How many men had dreamed of falling at her feet? She had never once agreed.

And now, when she offered that as the price for his treatment, Ling Xiao had actually refused!

She desperately wanted to see from his face whether he was merely putting on an act.

But unfortunately, his expression remained calm and unruffled from beginning to end, without the slightest trace of pretense.

He... truly had no interest in her.

That utterly crushed Lin Yixuan.

In all her life, this was the first time she had ever met a man like Ling Xiao. Here, in front of him, she was for the first time seized by deep doubt about her beauty and her fame.

“Sir, could it be that even my looks are not enough to satisfy your standards?”

Ling Xiao looked out at the stream of traffic beyond the window and replied in an even tone,

“You are indeed very beautiful. It’s just that... my standards may be a little high.”

Lin Yixuan completely broke down.

His words were a naked slap to her face.

She was speechless beyond measure.

A profound sense of helplessness washed over her, almost suffocating her.

Just as she sat there in despair, a voice brimming with delighted surprise made her knit her brows once more.

“Yixuan, you’re here too?”

Lin Yixuan’s brows drew tight. She swept the newcomer a glance, and could not help feeling disgust and irritation.

“Zhang Zilin, were you following me?”

The man called Zhang Zilin looked to be about twenty-six or twenty-seven. He wore a bright orange Armani suit and carried himself with excessive flamboyance.

His looks were not bad, but there was a shadowy gloom between his brows, and his eyes were somewhat hollow and spiritless. At a glance, he was clearly the sort who had indulged himself too far.

Coming up to the table, he put on a wounded expression.

“Yixuan, how can you say that? Is that really the kind of man I am in your eyes?”